How long do I have to keep a fresh tattoo dry? More specifically, how long should I refrain from swimming? I’ve been told anything from 5 days to two weeks.
Don’t have the tattoo yet, but trying to get some consensus. Also haven’t asked any tattoo artist, so I haven’t exactly gone to the source, either.
I know it is not what you want to hear…but it depends. How quick the tattoo heals. I have found the more I moistourize it the quicker they heal…but the ones that I have moistourized the least have kept their color much better over years. I would follow whatever your artist recommends, but I would say 10-14 days would be fairly safe.
2 weeks
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Just show us the freakin too
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Minimum of two weeks. Longer if you can do it. A lot will depend on how fast you heal.
or you can go to the beach… get blind running drunk…get some ink… wake up the next day with fresh ink and get drunk again laying in the pool and the sun. Then tell everyone what a bad job they did.
Give yourself at least 2 weeks. You want it to heal properly. Better to wait a couple of weeks now than to have a potentially ugly tattoo the rest of your life.
Thanks.
How does one know that it’s completely healed?
Thanks.
How does one know that it’s completely healed?
When it stops feeling like Marilyn Manson is playing with razor blades on your skin. That, or when the mermaids nipples are no longer blurry.
When it starts to look like you have healthy skin again. I’d give it "at least "a couple weeks & use a good sunscreen from there on out. Tattoos aren’t exactly sunshine friendly.
And don’t wrap your tat with plastic wrap. Why do some people/shops do this? You’re just asking for infection.
Come on, when do we get to see your inkwork?
Two weeks is what you’re told. I have two tats. I got one while I was on WSU’s swimming and diving team. I can see it now:
Me-“Coach, I got this tattoo and the tattoo artist told me not to swim for 2 weeks. I know you pay me to do this and all, but I figured you wouldn’t mind, right?”
Coach-“Good-bye.”
Obviously this isn’t what happened, but keeping it dry for two weeks didn’t happen either. I swam with it the very next day. Just make sure that you can keep it dry and covered as long as possible. If you can afford to take the time off from the pool, do it. If not, don’t sweat it. When you’re done swimming, shower, dry off and put some “tattoo goo” (its a salve you can get from some shops)on it and cover it up. Job done.
I did this with one and then the two week deal with the other. Both have held their color equally. Good luck!
off topic of the thread, but I didn’t know you swam in college! what events and what were you times?
(I get sooo excited about swimming 
Actually, I was primarily selected for diving. That is what my original scholarship was written for. However, I ended up swimming some fly and back stroke. I wasn’t an IM’er though so freestyle is a weakness for me and don’t even ask about my breast stroke…that’s just a complete joke!! lol
diving is so cool! On occasion, the lifeguards at the school pool will let me cannonball off the 1m board and that always totally makes my day.
The diving team is often in practicing in the mornings while I swim - they are beautiful to watch. lucky ducks get to play on a trampoline for practice!
I loved diving very much. I originally came from a gymnastics background so I just needed to learn how to land on my head!!
There are some things I miss about swimming and diving and some things I’m glad I don’t partake in anymore…
Overall though, I was very lucky to have done both sports.
Which WSU?
And back on topic, 2 weeks minimum. The color will fade a tiny bit and look like a part of your body, not a rub on tattoo…that’s when it is healed.
Wayne State University
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I used to practice (diving) at Wayne State. They have a very nice facility.
Ah, okay. I live right next to a WSU with a pretty decent(from what I hear) swim team. Wright State University.